Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs

A Low Culture Manifesto (Now with a New Middle)

By: Chuck Klosterman

Narrated by: Chuck Klosterman

Length: 5 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

From the kid who brought you Fargo Rock City, the first book in history to garner the praise of Stephen King, David Byrne, Donna Gaines, Sebastian Bach, Jonathan Lethem, and Rivers Cuomo, comes Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, the first book in history to examine breakfast cereal, reality television, tribute bands, Internet porn, serial killers, and the Dixie Chicks.

Countless writers and artists have spoken for a generation, but no one has done it quite like Chuck Klosterman, with an exhaustive knowledge of popular culture and a seemingly effortless ability to spin brilliant prose out of unlikely subject matter. Whether deconstructing Saved by the Bell episodes or the artistic legacy of Billy Joel, the symbolic importance of The Empire Strikes Back or the Celtics/Lakers rivalry of the 1980s, Chuck will make you think, he'll make you laugh, and he'll drive you insane, usually all at once.

Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs is ostensibly about movies, sports, television, music, books, video games, and kittens but, really, it's about us. All of us. As Klosterman realizes late at night, in the moment before he falls asleep, "In and of itself, nothing really matters. What matters is that nothing is ever 'in and of itself.'"

©2003, 2004 Chuck Klosterman. All rights reserved. (P)2006 Simon & Schuster Inc. All rights reserved. Audioworks is an imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio Division, Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[Klosterman] is a skilled prose stylist with a witty, twisted brain, a photo-perfect memory for entertainment trivia, and has real chops as a memoirist." (Publishers Weekly)
"Intelligent analysis and thought-provoking insight....there is much here to entertain and illuminate." (Amazon.com)

Unexpected laughter

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book. I prefer books read by the author, and this did not disappoint.
I found myself relating my own life experiences and emotions to the stories Klosterman told. I laughed out loud more than once.

Whiny and insulting

I didn’t enjoy the tone of the book. Its seems like he’s shaming certain parts of pop culture and sometimes makes a broad statement that’s only true of his generation and acts as if it’s a universal truth. The tones in which he does it seems more whiny than clever and funny and sometimes insulting to the reader. It is a book of essays that is personal opinion and not fact but it seemed to have a know it all feel to it which made it hard for me to relate and get through.

Not very interesting

I tried twice to listen to this audiobook but it's just not interesting at all.

He thinks he's famous (sic)

Kloster seems to think that we are really interested in his opinion and/or his life. This is a self-indulgent quasi-biography of a wanna-be Woody Allen...

Not to mention the tone of his voice. After 30 minutes, I was so irritated by his voice, that I had to stop listening.

NOT RECOMMENDED

Aimless ramblings of an egocentric sociologist

Where to start…from the slurred spit-filled enunciation that I liken to the Neil Goldman character from Family Guy, to the obtuse ramblings of his egocentrism, this book is very clearly Chuck Klosterman’s world and we’re merely passengers on the tragic ride of his bedtime thoughts, which he emphatically describes as insight based upon his perceived parallels and drawn conclusions. While he acknowledges the differing opinions of others, he does not even entertain them to a due diligence. The erratic lack of structure was almost histrionic. As a millennial, I appreciated his Gen X vantage point, however where he lost me time and time again was when he seemingly railroaded over any differing opinions. I would like to see him take a more responsible approach at discussing vantage points which differ from his own and not be so overtly dismissive.

Whiny and annoying

I usually just click on the star-rating and don't usually write reviews, but I felt compelled in this case. There is no doubt that the author is smart and can write (the main reason for 2 stars instead of 1), but his subject matter is mind-numbingly idiotic. Elaborately detailed essays on topics such as Pamela Anderson and MTV The Real Life are long, boring, and inane, and would only interest someone else similarly obsessed. I kept hoping he all of his minute observations and pointless philosophizing about pop-culture and celebrities would culminate in some greater point, but they never did. Also, the author reads the book himself, which is something I wish happened more often for non-fiction works, but in this case his nasal, whiny voice just grates. Suffice it to say, this is the first audiobook I just could not make it through. I turned it off and listened to the radio (of all things) until I could get home and download a different audiobook!

Don't waste your money

This is the first book I have ever written a review for but I feel like I'm writting it for all the wrong reasons. Instead of sharing a passion for a new discovery I am posting a warning. Save your money and spend it on something worth listening to.

I've had this book recommended to me by several people and I have seen it featured on several blogs that I hold in high respects. However, this is the first book that I have not been able to complete. I only had one hour left when I just had to give up. It was tough enough to slog my way through Klosterman's essay on why the Celtic/Laker riverly but the pointless, disjointed, and contrived rant he followed up with about how sex and cereal are deeply interlocked was too painful too bear.

Don't waste your money on this dribble. There are plenty of other author, one's with coheirent points to make, that deserve your attention.

Also, all of the other reviews are correct. The author does sound like a high pitched version of the Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons, which isn't as funny as you think it would be. The publisher should have seriously considered hiring a professional reader.

This author should not narrate their own books

This book came highly recommended to me by a friend and I want to enjoy it, I really do. Unfortunately, the author narrates their own book and I find his voice to be grating and abrasive, essentially nails down the proverbial chalkboard. I had to DNF and return 2 minutes into chapter 3. I’ll buy the print version and read that instead.

Chuck is insufferable.

This book was not for me. His rants are backed by no data and basically just sharing his own, obtuse opinions about what was wrong with pop culture in the 2000s

NOT Recommended

There are a FEW interesting parts but most of the book is very disjointed. Too many uninteresting personal rants and raves. There are much better choices.